


Bird of Prey

by fondofit



Series: The Falconer's Tale [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Falconry, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-21
Updated: 2017-07-27
Packaged: 2018-10-22 02:10:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10687611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fondofit/pseuds/fondofit
Summary: In which Drautos find himself becoming more and more fascinated with falconry and all that comes with it.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The Medieval Falconry AU no one knew they wanted or needed. Most of what I pulled knowledge-wise came from what I could remember about a paper I wrote on the subject over a decade ago. (Thank you, _The Art of Falconry_ ) Still, I can't help but think it fits them? I may hope to add more to it later on. Still thinking on that. Enjoy!

“You’ve been coming here pretty often.”

Nyx hoods the bird of prey currently attached to his arm. He has a talent of hooding with an ease most people just can’t imitate. Drautos can vouch for it, he’s seen quite a few falconers these past few months. Nyx brings the bird to its mews, guiding her to her perch. The wings unfold, feathers in beautiful patterns of black and shades of brown as the bird, with its jesses, moves from arm to perch.

“I’ve been interested in falconry for a while now. It’s hard to find those experienced around and even harder to find those gifted enough to care for them like you happen to.”

It's a little white lie. 

Nyx laughs, soft and disbelieving, as if he can see right through it, as he goes to check on the other birds. This area that was set up for the mews was extraordinarily huge for such a small castle. Drautos hadn't really cared to notice the birds or the people who cared for them in the past. At that time, he was more focused on keeping the peace around the city with his men. It’s there he gained the new recruit that carried a bird on his gloved hand with so much gentleness, strength and pride it was hard to ignore them.

Nyx had requested a mews for his Peregrine Falcon in Drautos’s office not long after enrollment. The man would not take no for an answer, Drautos could see it in his actions; the way he stood at attention while keeping firm, direct eye contact. A week later (with a matter of a couple strings being pulled), Darutos was given the OK to let Nyx have a mew space kept for his bird.

“So you’re going to follow me around a bit, is that it, sir?”

“I see no better candidates.”

“I’m no master. Not yet. I just try to do what’s best by her though.”

Nyx continues checking the other birds to make sure they are doing well in their areas before coming back to Crowe. _Crowe_ , Drautos always thought it to be an odd name for a falcon, but Nyx insisted it was an important name. He checks her over before saying a few words to her. It’s endearing how much this man cares about this bird.

Endearing enough to make Drautos want to follow him to the mews almost daily now.

Nyx turns back to him, lopsided grin on his face, and leads the way back to the castle.

“So, when can I expect you to start your training?”

Drautos shakes his head with a smile. He’d never intended on getting involved much more then just observing, but when he sees the enthusiasm and the hope in the other’s face, Drautos nonchalantly replies, “As soon as you’ll have me.”


	2. Chapter 2

“I learned how to care for birds from my Grandfather before he passed,” Nyx smiles as he watches the flames of the fireplace start to fade to a mere glow of embers. It’s as if he’s come across a fond memory that Drautos isn’t privy to know yet. He may never know it, but he doesn’t pry and allows Nyx this moment to himself. He continues with, “And I learned how to hunt with them through my Mother. They both had been considered Masters. I was just lucky they put up with me long enough to learn what I could before - before everything.”

He waves off the sentence as if that were to explain every event of his life from then until now. 

Drautos supposes it does. 

“Normally, you train with bigger birds.” The topic changes as Nyx ladles himself some hot, spiced mead. Drautos watches as Nyx brings the flagon up to his lips to take a gulp. Noticing how the smooth taste of spiced mead makes its way down the other man’s throat. The bob of his adam’s apple is mesmerizing. Nyx hums in satisfaction. The mead is definitely good. It hits the spot on these chilly nights leading towards an even colder winter.

“If you really want to learn, we’ll start you off with the equipment, the mews and the birds themselves. Caring for them takes time and effort, but I don’t think I have to remind you of that.”

Drautos could feel his lips curl in a soft smile, “No, you don’t.”

Nyx looks at him for a minute, Drautos unsure of what he’s looking for, but he soon turns away taking another gulp of his drink to hide the smile on his face. 

“It would be better to start sooner rather than later. With the seasons changing it would be hard to catch your own bird in the wild during the winter. This way, if we come across a passager in the spring, you’d be better prepared to handle it.”

“Passager?”

“A young bird. Older than a fledgling, while still having its juvenile plumage. The younger ones usually take to manning more than the elder birds.”

“And manning is?”

“Getting the bird used to people and other animals. Taming them, essentially.”

Drautos nods, taking a drink of his own. Nyx is watching him now, trying to read his thoughts. At least that’s what he assumes the other man is trying to do.

“You’re sure you want to do this? It’s not easy and pretty time consuming. I mean, when I’m not on the training fields, I’m either eating, sleeping or with Crowe. You’re a busy man-”

“Believe me when I say that If I were not determined to learn I would not be here.”

A crooked smile spreads across Nyx’s face. “Good. I’m glad to hear it, sir.”

Drautos gives himself a moment to take in Nyx’s reaction before asking, “ And, for curiosity’s sake, what bird would you peg me as keeping?”

There’s no hesitation when Nyx says, “A Goshawk.”

Drautos grins as Nyx downs the rest of his drink, the younger man pointedly trying not to look at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...I guess I'm going to keep this little story of mine going!


	3. Chapter 3

Nyx was one of those people who flew without wings. Drautos could feel the sneer grow on his face as he realized how flowery poetic that sounded, but it’s what fit the man best. In his training, Nyx flowed with his stances and attacks, impressing him even before he officially became a Kingsglaive. Drautos had challenged him back then, the day after Nyx showed up in the recruiting line because he wanted to see how the man would measure up.

He was not disappointed.

When Nyx came to his office that same day asking after his bird, he had to admit he was intrigued. He was unfamiliar with raptors other than those used for the gentry, so he agreed to a showing of Nyx’s skills with his falcon. 

Crowe unnerves him at first. She is, for all Drautos knows, a wild animal. An unfamiliar wild animal. And despite being hooded for the majority of the time he’s around her, he can tell that Crowe’s senses are noticeably sharp. He can tell when she recognizes his voice and knows she would be able to pick him out no matter where he is in a crowd.

It was obvious how much Nyx treasured her. It was the little things where he would make sure she was fed, groomed and had enough exercise. She would be brought out throughout the day to stretch her wings and to catch small animals that Nyx would allow her to keep for food. 

_“You want to make sure they’ll listen to you, but you also want to make sure they can catch their prey on their own terms. It’s really easy to overfeed a newly trained bird, but as the falconer, you train not just the bird, but yourself with them.”_

He remembered how Nyx would make sure all of Crowe’s feathers were in pristine condition before taking her out on the field and then checking once again before bringing her back to the mews. Drautos tries to find time to follow him when possible, but it was hard to keep track of what exactly went into each day of care.

So he asks Nyx if it would be possible for him to write everything down. Nyx just gives him a look and looks away saying, “I’ve never learned to read or write.” There’s a pause and a shrug of his shoulders before he adds, “ At least, not in a language you’d understand… Sir.”

Drautos soon asks for a scribe to follow them for a day to write down everything that goes into the daily caretaking regiment. 

\---

It was in the beginning of winter and a thin layer of snow had already fallen to the ground when Nyx stopped by his office, asking him to go hunting with him. He was wrapped up in thick layers of furs and finely embroidered clothing; something that was positively foreign in this castle, but looked natural on him. And despite this odd intrusion, Drautos welcomed the distraction. Spending his day in a cold stone room was not something he looked forward to and the chance to go out and do something called to him.

Nyx began walking and Drautos followed, watching as he man came to life as he spoke of what they needed to get ready for the hunt. They walked towards Drautos’s room, so he could get fetch someone to grab his cloak for the cold of the outdoors.

“There should be some rabbits or pheasants about around now. I hope we come across a rabbit or two. They make good stew for the winter.”

“You cook?”

“Sure. I clean and dress everything I catch too. Rabbits are pretty meaty around this time. You’ll want to dress warm, if you can.”

The walk to Drautos’s room is filled with excited chatter, mostly on Nyx’s part. Drautos had only ever seen Crowe in action when Nyx had tried to prove her worth in battle. She was swift and deadly and listened to her master when called. At the time, that’s all he needed to know. Now though, he found there was a little more to their relationship and it was something that he was drawn to.

He changes into something warmer. Thick leather boots and a cape lined with furs were pulled on over his warmer clothing. He found it suitable for most of the cold winter days, but Nyx’s critical eye looked him over and shook his head.

“Don’t you start to freeze after a while? You need more layers.”

“It’s not terribly bad.”

Nyx shrugs as he calls out, “If you say so.” He turns on his heel to lead the way down to the mews.

When they arrive, Drautos watches as Nyx gets himself ready for carrying Crowe. He makes sure the glove is in good shape and that he has enough materials for what they’re going out for. He slings an arrow tube over his shoulder and holds out the bow to Drautos. 

“Just in case we come across anything else out there.”

The mews is dark and warmer that the outdoors. Crowe can sense Nyx. She knows he’s there for her, wings stretching as she adjusts her footing on her perch. She's ready to go, Nyx making sure her hood is on tight and the jesses won't hinder her flight. 

“We'll be on horseback. I've already got the horses ready.”

“You were so sure I'd join you?” Drautos teases as they begin their walk toward the stables. 

Nyx just looks at him and smiles in a way that makes Drautos think that all he needs to do for the rest of his life is follow this man and have him in his life. That there was no one else he needed to be with. 

It was disgustingly sentimental.

The way Nyx jumped onto his horse was like he was born to ride. He waited for Drautos to leg himself into the saddle. Crowe was silent, head turning towards Drautos as he settled on his horse, as if she was waiting for him to finish up.

“She’s getting impatient,” Nyx chuckles after he asks if Drautos is ready.

“Lead the way. I wouldn’t want to keep her waiting.”

They take off at a light trot, down the snow covered path towards the hunting grounds. The silence of the snow covered forest is almost deafening. If they hadn’t brought the horses, there would be almost little to no noise in the air. But the hooves are a constant reminder that they are not alone and that this forest, despite being covered in snow, is still teeming with life.

“We’ll let her go just a bit ahead. There’s a clearing.” Nyx says to Drautos before chatting to Crowe. Despite not being able to .

The clearing he spoke of was a large meadow. Nyx readies the arm Crowe rests upon before removing her hood. Her large eyes take in the land before he releases her, her wings taking to the air in a matter of seconds. Nyx smiles, watching as she takes flight and Drautos watches him, reveling in the man’s reaction.

“So, you said that you couldn't read or write our language.” Drautos starts, waiting for Nyx to turn his attention towards him.

“Yeah. I've never had the opportunity. Not since finding my way here. You keep a tight ship, Captain.”

Drautos grins. He did tend to run his Glaives ragged on the worst days and just exhaust them on the best. They never let him down though, which was more he could say about other trained soldiers.

“Would you like to?”

Nyx turns to face him this time, smirk on his face, “You sure you want to go through that?”

“I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t want to.”

“Not that it’s a huge deal to me, but you do know what people are saying about us now.” 

Drautos knows. He's been chided by Cor on so many occasions he's beginning to snark back. This does not mean he actually cares about what they say.

“If I had cared I wouldn't be out here in the middle of a forest with you in the cold. Alone.”

Nyx laughs. His face flushed and voice bright and loud.

Drautos grins back at him, a warmth growing in his chest. He wants to make Nyx laugh like that again.

“If that's the case, then I accept.”

The warmth is almost engulfing him. Drautos is glad that he could blame the chill of winter for the pink flush on his face.

“Ah, there's Crowe.” Nyx says, pointing to the falcon circling on the horizon. “I think she's spotted something.”

Drautos follows Nyx as he jumps off his horse and runs towards the area where Crowe is circling. He slows down taking the bow off his shoulder and hunching down. He motions for Drautos to move close to him, crouching low to the ground. 

He whispers low, trying to make the least amount of noise possible. “We’ll wait to see what she sees. Let her take it if it's small enough.”

Drautos nods and they watch.

Nyx make a noise in the back of his throat when he sees them. A small group of rabbits come running from the brush into the snowy open meadow. Crowe dives in and Nyx pulls and arrow and notches his bow. They strike together, Crowe taking one large down rabbit with her talons and Nyx taking another trying to avoid Crowe’s attack. He quickly notches another arrow and strikes another rabbit. The last one getting away on the other side of the brush.

Nyx jumps up and runs towards Crowe, Drautos trailing behind him.

Nyx makes sure Crowe gets part of her kill before calling her back. Her beak is bloody, but she looks proud and satisfied with her work. Nyx says some words to her in a language that Drautos doesn't understand and she moves back to his gloved arm.

“Want to check the others?” Nyx asks as he picks up Crowe’s kill. Drautos nods and walks over to the two rabbits. He removes the arrows and holds them out to Nyx, who's walked up behind him. Drautos notices Crowe has been hooded again.

“You're a good shot.”

Nyx shrugs, holding out a rope to Drautos, “I had to be.”

He doesn't expand on that statement.

Drautos ties up the rabbits and ties them to his horse. 

The trip back to the castle is swift and quiet. Nyx gingerly gets off his horse at the stables and turns to Drautos.

“Would you mind getting the horses back? I'm going to get Crowe back to her mews. I'll meet you there.”

Drautos nods and Nyx’s face brightens.

“I swear there’ll be a good dinner in this for you.” Nyx says as he's walking off.

Drautos has no doubt that this is true.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is slow going, but I still fancy this story idea, so when inspiration hits...

The weight of a hawk on one’s arm is, perceptively, a misleading thing. The larger the bird the heavier they are; that should be apparent according to logic. But a large bird does not weigh as much as one would assume. Hence the misleading assumption that a large bird would be quite heavy.

This is what Drautos thinks as he holds his hand out for the young hawk to take its first steps onto his hand-made perch. The hawk is far from timid, already used to being handled, and Drautos makes it a point to not have it lose its trust in a newbie like himself. Nyx stand by, his friend, Tredd, stands behind him with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. The hawk is his, a large bird ready for further training, but tame.

“He's taking it well,” says Tredd to Nyx.

Nyx nods in agreement; satisfied, proud at seeing Drautos holding the bird up high, without fear or complaint. The smile he has is one that Drautos can only describe as something akin of a mother to a child.

He's unsure if likes it or not.

“I'm talking about the Commander, not the bird.” Tredd adds not so subtly under his breath.

Drautos scowls while Nyx laughs out loud. 

\---

The walk is quiet and Drautos is careful with the hawk on his arm. Nyx had explained that the more he is used to being with birds, the more they will learn to acknowledge and trust him. It’s hard at first, wondering what the other is thinking, much like humans are with each other, but Drautos notices that the hood helps a lot to keep the bird subdued and comfortable. 

He finds it odd how such a phenomena could occur. How something so wild could in blind faith trust him enough to not do it harm. Especially when the bird’s eyes were covered. Then again, he was essentially entrusting the same thing to the hawk. 

The snow crackles underfoot as they make their way to the training field. The snowfall the night prior had frozen over, making their walk a little more difficult. The hawk was patient with Drautos’s cautious steps; its body taking each slip and misstep with grace.

Nyx led their little group to the middle of the field, stopping in the area with the most space. He went up to Drautos with a smile and began looking at his stance. Drautos stood still glancing at Nyx as he made his inspection, curious as to how he'd manage.

“You can relax a bit, you know?”

A barking laugh came from Tredd as Drautos stern face frowned, loosening his shoulders subtly. Nyx kept an aloof smile, patting Drautos on the back, fingers lingering as they slid down between his shoulder blades. Drautos tries not to think about the tingling sensation that touch left behind. He doesn’t have much time to think about it, not when Nyx takes Drautos’s free hand and motions for him to remove the hood from Tredd’s bird.

The difference in the hawks reaction to an open environment was surprising. It’s sharp eyes immediately began to take in it’s surroundings by checking for every moving thing in its vicinity. Drautos steadies his arm, keeping an eye on the bird while also looking around the field. He hadn’t noticed that Tredd had crossed the field at some point, but there he stood on the other side, waiting for the hawk to be released. 

“Just like I said,” Nyx’s voice was a balm on the nervousness Drautos wasn't aware he had. There was tension in his arm that he loosened immediately, his stance became just a tad more relaxed; he was ready now.

Drautos raised the bird on his arm, loosening the jesses in his hand as he felt the hawk move. It weight pushing off, the spread of its wings magnificent as it took flight and went right towards Tredd’s gloved hand. Tredd grins at his bird, his face alight with pride as it picks at the meat he held in his gloved hand. 

“You did well with her.” Nyx says from his side, a smile stretched across his face. “We’ll do a couple more practice flights with you and her and then we’ll go inside. I’m hankering for some stew.”

Drautos looks at Nyx. He can’t help but notice how rosy Nyx’s cheeks have become since they’ve been outside. 

“Can’t wait.”

\---

Nothing feels more at home than sitting by a fire after being out in the midst of winter’s chill for a couple of hours. The simple pleasure of feeling that heat seep into one’s toes and fingertips before making its way down the length of one’s body was always something to appreciate. Drautos makes sure the wood he uses will burn for a long while, giving the room a sweet scent of sap, the fire’s crackle a warm reminder that they’ve only just started the winter months. He looks at the small log pile next to the fireplace and makes a mental note to ration what he currently has.

Drautos turns away from the burning kindling to Nyx, who was bundled in a foreign-looking blanket made of intricate patterns of flowers and birds. It’s beautiful, nothing he’s ever seen in his life. The style reminds him of a bazaar he had attended with his family as a child; the place filled with foreign strangers with odd tongues, strange gifts and bizarre foods. Nyx runs his fingers over the stitches, a far away look in his eyes as he watches the fire grow. Drautos sits next to him, pulling a wool blanket over his own shoulders.

“An heirloom?”

Nyx smiles and shakes his head slowly, sadly. “It’s not that old, really. A gift from my sister before everything... fell apart. She was practicing her stitching for her marriage.”

“For marriage?”

Nodding, Nyx continues, “Don’t get me wrong, she was still young, but they start teaching that stuff to the girls when they’re small. She was talented, as you can see.” He pulls an edge of the blanket up in the light, the colors and varied stitches become more apparent. Drautos had to agree that they were lovely. “This was her first try at something bigger. It took her a couple weeks, but she tried to put my favorite flowers in the design and then the birds...” 

His voice drifts off, his hand tugging the blanket close to him. Drautos takes the opportunity to take that hand and hold it in his own, Nyx keeps his eyes forward, but the smile on his face is soft and warm, while his fingers weave their way between Drautos’s. They stay like that for a while until Nyx shifts his body over and leans on Drautos’s shoulder. He smells like pine, rosemary and the stew they finished not so long ago. It’s this comforting scent and warmth that causes Drautos to drift his head over to rest on top of Nyx’s. 

He closes his eyes in contentment.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Going to try something a little different here. Like an underlying plot? We'll see how this goes! Let me know what you think!

It all started when Libertus rushes into the the mess hall. His eyes were wild, searching for someone despite all the eyes in the room being on him. 

There’s an excited, breathless shout of “Nyx!” that echoes throughout the room. Nyx looks perplexed, unaware of why his friend is so worked up, but he stands from his seat and meets his friend halfway.

“Y-you've gotta come see this!”

Nyx takes Libertus by the forearm and asks, “What is it?”

“We can't not- I've got to-” Libertus stumbles over his words trying to catch his breath.

Nyx nods, draping his arm across his friend’s shoulders in order to turn them around and walk them out of the mess hall. Nyx knows people will talk. He knows he's going to hear about it from Drautos later, but the knot in his stomach is a rock starting to weigh down on him. There are only a few things that could get Libertus this worked up.

The halls are oddly empty, but Nyx assumes that's because most of the glaives are enjoying their meals. He lets Libertus lead him, a turn down one hall and another down the next until they're standing by the tower’s main gate. He tugs on Nyx’s shoulder until he pushes him through the small holding quarters where a small group of castle guards stand at the ready. Nyx recognizes one and raises a hand in greeting.

The other man nods at him with a wry smile on his face.

Libertus leads him to the back of the room where two guards were standing in front of a hooded figure sitting on a cot. The smell of roses wafts towards him as he comes closer to the hooded visitor. He can't believe it… It had been so long since he’d last seen her.

“Nyx! It-it’s-”

“It's been a long time, Ny-shya.” Says the woman bundled beneath the cloak.

Nyx stares at the her for a moment before a bright smile cracks his lips. He falls to his knees on the ground before her, surprising the guards. She pulls her hood back, dark brown eyes glittering like light off the ocean’s surface. She leans over and wraps her arms around his shoulders as he gathers her into his. 

They stay like that for a while before she sits back up on the cot. Nyx is reluctant to let her go, but Libertus is there to put a hand on his shoulder. The woman adjusts her cloak, making sure she was covered.

“Cro-stya, how… when..?”

“In time!” She says with a grin and a wave of her hand, “I'm famished, but I've also been told that I have to stay in this room until there is approval for me to be here.”

“I can get you something. I'll also talk to the Captain. He’ll get you in.”

“You don't have to, Ny-shya. I can wait for a formal invitation…”

Nyx just waves her protests off, “Don’t be ridiculous. We haven’t seen you in years. You’ll stay with us.”

Libertus looks towards Nyx as he starts making his way out the door, “You think Drautos would let her in?”

Nyx grins back at them, “He'd want to meet Crowe’s namesake, at the very least.”

\---

By the time Nyx is able to see Drautos, he's already in his room dressed down to warm bedclothes. Nyx tries not to stare. He really tries, but seeing Drautos's bare feet and shins was just a little distracting. _Now_ was definitely not the time for that. No, now was-

“Nyx. You’ve come here this evening because…” 

“I need to ask something of you, sir.”

Nyx watches Drautos’s sleep exhausted face suddenly morph into one of confusion. As if there had been not one person in his lifetime that had ever asked something of him that wasn’t some sort of military decree. Or maybe he was still in the throes of being half-asleep. The man steps aside and motions for Nyx to follow.

“Come in.” 

Nyx nods and enters. He knows the… inappropriate thoughts going through his head right now needed to be pushed aside. But Drautos, as usual, was distracting. He just couldn't understand how a man could make such uninteresting bedclothes look absolutely licentious. 

Drautos closes the door behind him with a click. He turns to face Nyx, arms crossing over his chest; he didn't like being disturbed from his sleep. No surprise there. “What do you need?

“A visitor from Tenebrae Castle arrived not too long into the evening meal. She's an-” Nyx pauses wondering what the best way to describe his relationship with Crowe would be. He decides to go with, “A good friend. Someone I haven't seen in years.” 

“And?”

“I'd like permission to house her with us for the night, sir.”

Drautos goes quiet, looking over Nyx as if he'd be the one doing extra laps in order to make up for this interruption. He opens his mouth and Nyx remembers the one important detail he left out about this girl.

“Her name is Crowe!”

The reaction on Drautos’s face would have made him laugh if he hadn't been so caught up on getting the man's permission to have her stay. He looks completely baffled by this information. As if he wasn't quite sure he heard it correctly.

“Whose name?”

“The traveler who I am asking about. Her name is Crowe. I named Crowe after her.”

There was a pause, surprise written on his face as he tries to think of how to respond.

“And she's here?”

“With the guards near the entrance. They wouldn't let her get any further.”

Drautos nods moving towards his wardrobe. He takes a warm woolen, fur-lined cloak and wraps it around his shoulders in a flourish. He makes for the door, holding it open for Nyx to pass through.

“I'll make a decision when I meet her. We should see why she’s really come here before making any hasty decisions.”

Nyx smiles as he follows a step behind Drautos’s long gait, “That all I can really ask for.”

\---

When they arrive, Crowe and Libertus are sitting where Nyx left them, chatting away as if there wasn't a care in the world. They stopped once they saw Drautos and Nyx come through the entrance, the guards coming to attention as the Captain walks into the room. Nyx’s attention is drawn to Crowe as she stands to greet him, a stern, but welcoming smile playing on her lips.

“Sir, I am Crowe Altius hailing from Tenebrae Castle. I’ve come to bring two messages to two men of Insomnia.”

Drautos nods, “Well met. And to whom must you speak to?”

Nyx can tell that Drautos can hear the lilt in her voice that comes from an accent. The Tenebrae language was so similar to the Insomnian one, but she still held some Galahdian in her. 

“Actually sir, I'm here to give a gift to His Royal Highness from Princess Lunafreya. If I may…” 

Crowe shifts her cloak and pulls the rucksack from her back. She takes out a small, black leather bound book with gold-inlaid symbols in the cover. She brushes it off before holding it out to Drautos. He glances over it as she continues, “I need to ensure this gets to his Royal Highness.”

Drautos nods, “I see. I will make the request for you.”

She nods before placing the book back in her rucksack. She makes sure to tie it closed before hiding it back under her cloak.

“And for my other message… it’s actually for Nyx.”

“For me?”

“For Nyx?”

Both Libertus and Nyx bark their questions out at the same time. Crowe can’t help but smile at the two of them. She turns to Nyx, reaching into the neck of her cloak. She pulls on a leather rope around her neck, gently revealing a small cloth pouch. She removed the makeshift necklace and hands it to him.

The small pouch was light, the item inside heavy enough to have a little weight. He opens the ties that held the pouch together and allows the item to fall into the palm of his hand. A small, crudely carved hawk figurine rest in his palm. He shifts it to his fingertips, holding it between his finger and thumb in the light. Nyx knows this little wooden figurine. He’s seen it before; such a long, long time ago. 

“Recognize it?”

Nyx looks up at Crowe, the soft smile on her lips starting something in his heart. He couldn’t fathom that this… There’s no way…

“ _Ny-Shya, she’s still here. Your sister is still alive._ ”


End file.
